Patent Application
20090191301
None.
The present invention relates generally to the field of injection molding equipment and, more particularly, to an improved hot runner mounting system.
Hot runner manifold systems are utilized to transfer molten material, typically plastic resin, from an injection molding machine to a mold. Hot runner manifold systems typically include a manifold plate, a manifold housed in the manifold plate, and a backing plate that supports the manifold and manifold plate. The manifold system routes molten material from a central sprue, which connects to an injection unit on an injection molding machine, to a plurality of nozzles which inject the molten material into cavities in the mold. The manifold system divides the flow of the molten material into several branches as it flows from the central sprue to the nozzles.
Referring to
One limitation of these prior art systems is that the backing plate 14 and manifold plate 12, in addition to the manifold 10, must be replaced each time a new hot runner system is desired. While the need for new manifolds and nozzles is largely unavoidable, the possibility of reusable plates represents a significant potential cost and time saving benefit. Even though the backing and manifold plates add relatively little value to a hot runner system relative to the manifolds and nozzles, these parts can represent as much as 30-40% of the cost of a new hot runner system
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a hot runner plate system that is reusable with new or modified manifolds and nozzles.
The present invention is directed to meeting one or more of the above-stated desirable objectives.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a hot runner plate system that may be reused with new or modified manifold(s) and nozzles in a different configuration.
In accordance with the above aspects of the invention, there is provided a flexible plate system for a hot runner assembly that includes a backing plate; a manifold plate detachably connected to the backing plate; a mold manifold positioned between the backing plate and the manifold plate and having at least one nozzle associated therewith; and wherein the manifold plate has at least one plate slot that allows the nozzle to extend through the manifold plate and having at least a first lateral dimension substantially larger than the outside diameter of the nozzle.
In an another embodiment, the manifold plate has a plurality of dowel holes located along the perimeter of the plate slot to accommodate dowels for positive location of the nozzle relative to the plate slot.
These aspects are merely illustrative of the various aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings.
Reference is now made to the drawings which illustrate the best known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein the same reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.
While
The central sprue 120 delivers melt to the mold manifold 110. Melt then passes through a series of melt channels 112 within the mold manifold 110 to the injection nozzles 114, where it is delivered to each gate of the mold (not shown).
As can be seen most clearly in
While an elongated slot has been previously described, it is contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention to use expanded openings in a variety of configurations.
It is typical in hot runner systems for dowels 126 to be used to position the mold manifold 110, and consequently the nozzles 114, relative to the manifold plate 118. These dowels 126 are frequently positioned between nozzles such that they do not directly relate to the plate bores or in the case of the present invention, plate slots. However, in an alternate embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
In another version of this embodiment, screws 132 are utilized as the positioning device rather than dowels. In this version, screw through holes 134 are positioned along the perimeter of the plate slots 124, and the screws 132 are inserted into those holes 134 from the outside of the manifold plate 118 and into a threaded hole (not shown) associated with each nozzle 114.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, this has been by way of illustration and the invention should not be limited except as required by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
